Apple Baked Oatmeal with Espresso Almond Butter Frosting

Remember how I bought almond butter and managed to not demolish it within seconds? Here is another recipe I created with it. Seriously, what could be better than a robe of almond butter smothering a baked oatmeal cake? Nothing, that’s what.

To see how I made it, scroll to the bottom. I’m about to do some sappy reflecting.

As I have mentioned, I recently moved from Brooklyn. This puts me on a three-year streak of moving every summer. In a way, that annoys the bejesus out of me—moving sucks. However, I don’t have much to complain about: every single move has been an upgrade for me.

Let me put this into perspective for you. In college, my goal was to be a writing teacher. For sixth graders. In a charter school. Check! My first teaching job met all of that.

My goal was to live somewhere so big that I would not need a vehicle to get around. Check! New York City has the most thorough transportation in the country.

Later, once I found myself in the Brooklyn, my goal was to be smack-dab in Manhattan—no matter how astronomical the rent was, or even how pricey the groceries (and cocktails!) are. I didn’t care because—to me—that’s a small price to pay for living in paradise.

And now….check!

Something about Manhattan resonates with me. Even the unglamorous aspects appeal to me. I love the graffiti in the Lower East Side. I love the stench from the Chinatown fish markets. I love the traffic jams and rude bus drivers. I love the screech of the old subways. I love the hideous scaffolding protecting me on the sidewalk from the relentless construction. I love (like seriously, LOVE) the rats on the subway tracks.

The night before my flight to South Dakota (visiting family), I was walking from the movie theater to the subway on 23rd Street. It was incredibly calm, with only a few other people occasionally meeting me on the sidewalk. I could see the blare of billboards in Times Square as I crossed 7th Ave., the tired faces of deli owners waiting behind counters, and the glimmer of white lights atop the humble MetLife building by Madison Square Park. I reached the station and hesitated before going down—this was my last glimpse of New York City in its splendor before my trip to the Midwest. A lump gathered in my throat, as if I were giving a goodbye hug to a close friend.

Long story short: I found my home…and I need to set some new goals because I’ve already accomplished the ones I thought would take years to complete. Time to become a famous food blogger, I guess?

Now back to that oatmeal...

Apple Baked Oatmeal with Espresso Almond Butter Frosting

by The Oatmeal Artist

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

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Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 an apple (I used Fuji)
• 1/2 cup milk of choice, or water
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

For the "Frosting"

• 1-2 tbsp almond butter
• 1/4 tsp instant coffee granules
• milk of choice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a single-serving ramekin with non-stick spray.
2. With half of your apple half (haha), dice. With the remaining half, grate (I just use a cheese grater).
3. In a large bowl, add milk, vanilla extract, and diced and grated apple.
4. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients: oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Once mixed, add to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
5. Transfer to the ramekin and bake for 20-25 minutes.
6. Run a knife along the outside of the oatmeal and flip over onto a plate for serving. Let it sit (inside the ramekin) on top of the plate for several minutes to loosen from the ramekin and cool.
7. Meanwhile, prepare your almond butter frosting. If you are taking your almond butter from the top of the jar, it probably won't need much, if any, milk to liquefy it. If you are digging from the bottom of the jar, it's probably thicker and will need some liquid. Add coffee granules and a tiny splash of milk. Stir with a fork, adding more milk one splash at a time until it resembles something that can be drizzled over your oatmeal. :)
8. Carefully lift your ramekin. Ideally, it will come out without a problem, but you might have to do some prying!
9. Pour the almond butter mixture over the oatmeal and enjoy!

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**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account!  You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!